Valentina of Milan, sometime Dut-
chesse of Orleans had great cause to passe her
dayes in great heauinesse and mourning, both
for the death of her husband Lewis, bro-
ther to king Charles the sixt, as also for the
same kings vnfortunate phrensie ( whereof
we spake before in the handling of his armes )
which vsed to come on him at certain times,
and when it tooke him, he knew not any of
his friends, no not the queene his wife, but
only this Dutchesse Valentina, whom he cal-
led when he was in this extremitie his sister.
Whereupon there was a rumour blowne a-
brode that the Duke the father of this Valen-
tina, hauing sometimes bene ouerladen with
drinke, had caused some poyson, or charmed
potion to be giuen laim: which report this
Valentina tooke verie gricuously, yea so grie-
uously indeede, that in place of all consolati-
on, and ease of her mourning, she vsed for her
cognizance an earthen pitcher in fashion like
a water pot, on the mouth whereof was the
character of this letter S. signifying perhaps
these words concerning the same Dutches:
Solam sape seseipsam sollicitar, suspiraréq; ,
that is, being alone shee accustomed to
mourne and to sigh with her selfe, togither
with these words subioyned. Nil mihi prae-
Riens ne m'est plus, Plus ne m'est riens.